


What Comes Next

by 14hpgirl19



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Panic Attacks, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home, Protective Michelle Jones, Spider-Man: Far From Home (Movie) Spoilers, post-credits scenes have me shook
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 04:36:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19456477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/14hpgirl19/pseuds/14hpgirl19
Summary: In the immediate aftermath, Michelle comforts Peter.





	What Comes Next

**Author's Note:**

> I never actually thought I would write this pairing, but after FFM I had a million feels, so this happened. Hope you enjoy!

When the news footage finally ended, there was silence. Michelle thought it was kind of absurd, since this was New York City. It was _incapable_ of silence. And yet, that was the only way she could describe the static in her ears that blocked out all other noises.

One by one, the people on the sidewalk noticed Spider-Man – _Peter_ – crouched above them all on the streetlight. A few started pointing. Others pulled out phones and brought them to their ears. Michelle felt sick to her stomach, like she was caving in from the inside out. It felt –

It felt like being blipped again.

Her hands shook. She couldn’t look away from Peter, who was frozen. Terrified, she was sure. Because despite everything he could do, everything he had _already done_ , he was just a sixteen-year-old boy.

Distantly, she heard sirens. The crowd around them grew agitated. Peter’s head whipped from side to side as he noticed the spectators who were gradually becoming a mob.

He needed to run. Michelle knew this. She watched as he stood and felt intense fear at the thought of him leaving without her. What if this was the last time she would see him? People would be after him, would target him. They saw him as their enemy now.

Panic bubbled up in her. “Peter!” she shouted. It didn’t matter if anyone heard her. The secret was out anyway.

Peter’s head spun in her direction. She wordlessly held her arms up, ignoring the fact that only moments before she had insisted on never doing it again.

(Had it really only been moments ago?)

Between one breath and the next, she was airborne. She clung to Peter as he swung through the air, her eyes squeezed shut. She was dizzy, so dizzy she might be sick. The only thing that felt solid was Peter’s warm body beneath her, carrying her through the concrete jungle to safety.

They landed only a few minutes later, in an alley far back from the street. Michelle took a few steadying breaths before she opened her eyes. She was unwilling to let Peter go, but as soon as their feet touched the ground, he whirled away from her and tore off his mask. His breathing was heavy, his eyes glassy.

“They know, they all know I’m – and they think that I – that I would – like I’m a _monster_ –”

Michelle was terrible with words. She loved to read, loved learning new words and phrases, but she couldn’t piece them together nicely to save her life. The one thing she was worse at was comforting people. She had been described as “prickly” on more than one occasion, though she didn’t really mind that. It just didn’t help things right now.

“Peter,” she said, softly, and then again loudly. “Peter!”

He stopped and looked at her, his hands in his hair. He was still breathing erratically. “MJ,” he said, with some difficulty.

Following her gut, she stepped closer to him and picked his hands out of his hair. Peter’s eyes were wide and more scared than she had ever seen them.

“Uh,” she said. _Great start._ “I need you to breathe. Slowly. And, uh, deeply.”

Much to her relief, Peter listened and took a few deep breaths. Michelle did it with him, nodding. “Good. That’s good.”

Peter swallowed. “What am I gonna do? This is – this is really bad.”

Now that they were a bit more removed from the situation, Michelle could think a bit clearer. She pulled all her thoughts together and prayed she wasn’t about to lie to him.

“It’s going be okay,” she said. “Yeah, it looks bad, but you’re an Avenger, right? Those guys will vouch for you. That Fury guy knows what Beck was up to, and he’ll clear your name.”

“But what if he can’t?” Peter asked desperately. “What if no one believes him?”

“We’ll deal with that after,” she said. “You’ve got tons of people who will stand up for you. Me included.”

She thought that would make him happy, but instead his face became more devastated. “MJ…”

“No,” she said before he could say anything else. “I know what you’re about to say. Stop it.”

“You’re not safe with me,” Peter insisted. “It won’t be hard for people to find out you’re my girlfriend, everyone at school already knows… You’ll be in danger.”

Michelle couldn’t believe him. If she didn’t care about him so damn much, she’d probably punch him in the balls.

“You can’t seriously be giving me the sexist ‘I need to leave you to protect you’ speech. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Peter’s mouth fell open. “It’s not sexist! It’s me being worried about you!”

“And I’m worried about you, but you don’t see me trying to break up with you!”

“MJ –”

“This is _my_ choice, Peter,” Michelle said fiercely. “Mine. You don’t get to make it for me. I choose _you._ ”

Peter blinked, his eyes even shinier than they were before. Michelle softened at the sight. But only a little.

“I’m really scared,” Peter admitted, his voice cracking a little. Michelle pulled him into her arms and tucked her face into his neck.

“I know,” she said. “Me too. But it’ll be okay.”

His arms tightened around her. “You mean that?”

Peter had saved her so many times. It was about time she returned the favor.

“Yeah,” she said. “I do.”


End file.
